What is the Future of Cosmetic Packaging?: The Rise of Micro-batching

Today I want to talk about something that's been on my mind a lot lately: what is the future of cosmetic packaging?

I've talked before about the latest trends, but it's more than that; where are we going?

Before the rise and ubiquity of the internet (i.e. before we had the power of a computer in the palm of our hands with our smart phones), we witnessed behemoth beauty companies like L'Oreal dominate the beauty industry. IP is tough to come by in the beauty, so companies thrived by introducing "patent pending" ingredients with a combination of numbers and letters and impossible to pronounce names.

Those were the days when science was god in beauty.

Since those days another type of beauty has become god: natural, bespoke beauty.

We're disillusioned with corporate beauty. Their patent-pending ingredients are hurting us, and the environment. While these corporate monsters are still rising in Asia, the US is pretty much done with them. The face of beauty is changing, and it's shrinking.

Do I mean the beauty market is shrinking?

No. Hell no. The beauty market is never shrinking.

As internet stars rise to fame with followers right in their every footstep, trust has shifted from the corporation to the individual. These individuals are small brands, and they are making small fortunes from their new small beauty companies.

Beauty is becoming bespoke.

What does that mean for packaging?

Smaller batches for smaller companies. We need to find new ways to meet the needs of these rising entrepreneurs. 10,000 MOQs aren't feasible for someone who's made their following through instagram, and works part-time as a makeup artist. They may be able to sell out of 1,000 units and continue building their brand, but 10,000 units can be a hefty price to pay--not to mention that they'll be sitting on 9,000 units unable to make their next move.

Our thoughts? New companies will emerge to move with the new market.

An example: Take that original 10,000 unit batch--don't brand it yet--and divide it by 10. Ten entrepreneurs can split that batch into ten 1,000 unit batches. Brand each 1,000 unit set differently, for their entrepreneur's brand.

Does this future sound interesting to you? Contact us today to get started on your microbrand. Let's grow together.